The future doesn’t look too bright for the Dallas Cowboys if you go by the opinions of NFL analysts like Mel Kiper and Herm Edwards.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones watches the game from the sidelines late in the fourth quarter in a game against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of play at the NFC playoff game at Mall of America Field at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Sunday, January 17, 2009. The Vikings defeated the Cowboys 34-3. (Vernon Bryant/The Dallas Morning News)

The Cowboys placed 24th. And if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, only the Arizona Cardinals were rankled lower among NFC teams.

Each team was evaluated by five categories: Roster, quarterback, draft, front office and coach.

The top five consisted of San Francisco, Green Bay, Seattle, Baltimore and New England.

A few interesting notes about the Cowboys:

Bill Polian, a long-time NFL executive who didn’t participate in the rankings but gave his thoughts, wrote that the switch to Monte Kiffin’s Tampa 2 scheme, “will take about a half season to effectuate. Look for this team to improve as the season goes on.”

Kiper, ESPN’s draft guru, wrote that the Cowboys, “manage to puzzle me at least once every year during the draft, be it with a questionable pick based on either need or value.” Kiper then pointed to the Cowboys’ first round pick this year, Travis Frederick, a player he “thought would be available 30 picks later.”

Edwards, who coached the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs from 2001-2008, wrote that the Cowboys have, “enough pieces to move the chains,” but questions whether Bill Callahan will be patient enough to run the football. Edwards also called this a “defining year” for Jason Garrett.

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